Sew a Simple Chic Crossbody Purse

Create this simple, functional bag with extra pockets and a padded strap for extra comfort.

1. To begin, lay your iPad (or other device) on your fabric to measure what size you want your finished bag to be. Work with the folded edge of the fabric as the bag’s bottom.

2. Add 2” for seam allowances and extra bag size on each side of the iPad. You can easily adjust the measurements to create a larger or smaller bag to best match your device size and needs.

3. Cut two pieces of fabric and one piece of fusible fleece or batting to the determined size.

4. Set the fleece or batting piece aside. Apply fusible interfacing to the wrong side of each fabric. If you want your bag fairly stiff use a heavy craft weight interfacing.

5. If you want a pocket inside your bag, cut a piece of fabric the size of the pocket you desire, adding 1” to each side. (This pocket piece measured 12” wide by 9 1/2” tall.)

6. Apply fusible interfacing to the backside of the pocket fabric.

7. Create a 1” fold on each side of the pocket piece, pressing and pinning it to the back side. The finished pocket size is 10” wide by 7 1/2” tall.)

8. Top stitch along the top edge of the pocket piece 1/8” – 1/4” from the top edge.

9. Fold the bag lining in half, laying it on your table so that the fold is at the bottom. Place the pocket piece in the center of the lining, making sure that the sewn top edge of the pocket is at the. Unfold the lining and pin the pocket in place.

10.Sew the pocket to the lining along the side and bottom edges of the pocket about 1/8” to 1/4” from the edge of the pocket piece.

11. Adding dividers to the pocket, use a chalk pencil and ruler to mark straight sewing lines from the top of the pocket to the bottom. You can vary the width of the lines to create pockets to meet your needs.

11. Layer your fabric on your work surface so that your outer bag fabric is facing printed side down on your work table.

12. Place the fleece or batting on top of the wrong side of the outer bag fabric.

13. Place the liner fabric on top of the fleece or batting printed side up.

14. Pin the three layers together.

15. Sew the pieces together by sewing 1/8” from the edge on all four sides.

16. Sew folded bias tape over the two short sides of the assembled bag body. These two sides will be the top edges to the bag.

Bag Straps

1. To create straps, determine what width you want your straps to be (this one is 2” wide) and how long you want your straps to be (this one is 64” long).

2. Cut two fabric, two interfacing, and one fleece or batting pieces to match your desired measurements. In this example, piece two cuts of fabric together to create each of the strap pieces. Place the seam of each at the center of my strap pieces. Adhere the interfacing to the strap pieces.

3. Layer the strap pieces like you did the pieces to the body of the bag. Pin the pieces together and sew 1/8” from the edge on all four sides.

4. Pin the strap to the body of the bag. The body of the bag fits around the ends of each strap like a letter U. Make sure that the center point on the bag’s body in the fold matches the center of each strap bottom.

5. After pinning, sew the bag and strap together, 1/8” - 1/4” from the edge.